Sunday, August 31, 2008

A very delayed post on my Singapore trip because believe it or not, I actually forgot to pack my camera for this trip!

I was rushing home from the office. Ditch my laptop aside and took a quick shower. Had to pack some of my remaining travel essentials... and then figure out if I needed to bring anything else. All checked. And the most important item, the pastport... checked.

It was about 10 minutes later after I boarded the LRT when I realized I have forgotten my camera batteries. I left it charging in my room. But it's ok, I can survive on normal AA batteries. But then... *t00tttt* my camera is not with me.

Anyway, lucky me that Jin bought her new Ixus. Yay Canon! I was feeding her cam to the fullest during this trip. Thanks babe!

It was already 9 plus when I reached Singapore. Jin picked me up and we headed back to her place. Rested and we are off!

Ding dong here and there in Clare Quay. Saw some interesting bars. The Clinic.. gosh people were seated on wheel chairs! But didn't find any bar that attracted both of us. We ended up across the bridge to Brewerkz.

Quite a spacious restaurant that brews their own booze. They have quite a number of brews. Honestly, I am no fan of booze. Can't take the gas and hated beer that is flat. We ordered the lightest brew of the lot called Golden Ale if I remember correctly. SG36.99 a jug. It was actually not bad. Kind of reminded me of Angkor Beer. The kitchen was closed when we reached, so no food even though I was starving! Our waiter manage to squeeze a basket of fries out for us... Yay!

Hung out until they closed. We got shooed out of the restaurant but they let us use the tables outside to finish off our beer. *burp*

Monday, August 25, 2008

I was quite happy when I found the text, but was really disappointed when I realised that I have lost the pictures that came with it.

Went through my backups. Nothing. Cache. Nothing. CDs. Nothing.Asked if he kept it... I doubt he has it. He wrote this way back in April 2004.

...but then weeks later I got a text message... "I found the pictures!"So here it is. The complicated story of two fruits, by Apple.

Once, there were plastic wires. Wires that make our enormous world seem so small, where people can reach out to each another. Then, in the vast translucent field of fiber optic, through the colours of digital light, stood an orange on one side of it, and an apple on the other. Fruits never actually mix with each another, expect their own kind.

But there was something exceptional going on…something about the aroma of the orange peel. And there was something else…something about the sourness in the sweet apple. But both the fruits know there is more to what they see. But what?

The apple grew up with his own kind. Sour as life can get, he somehow feel like life should be more than just green. The apple tries to look differently in life. One day, he noticed an aroma. Then it comes to a vision of an orange. He heard tales about oranges. They are sweet, something that apple aren't happy with. Curiosity somehow comes to the apple's mind, as he watches the orange. Watching how the orange live her life, he too wonders. What is like to be an orange, what is life being sweet? Bold as the apple gets, he makes first contact with the orange.

It’s not the norm for the orange to react to strange fruits. But somehow, the words, the questions, of the apple fascinated the orange. Physically both fruits are different. But the apple realized that there was something in common between both fruits. Both shared the surreal imagination, both shared the love of the worms and fungus that grew in them, both shared the same passion for orange peel aroma and sweet sour apples. The orange acknowledged and maintained contact.

Days have passed since. Orange and apple was having a blast of their life. They grew fond to each another. They were happy being together. Constantly rolling around the vast translucent field of fiber optic, to places they never dare to wander alone, but now with two, seems like a force to reach beyond any fruits. They were happy, for so many lives to come, until they reach the end of one end of field.

Every story has its ending. Every life, even as fruits has their ending.What is seems as the never ending field, has reach its end. It's time to go, for fruit's was never lasting. Even as man, nothing last forever. How sad that the apple and the orange has gone to their afterlife. Never again they would vow to see each another. They both knew it's the end. The both know that one day, they have they have to be separated. Alas, they went old, and died. They went on their afterlife, to a new beginning, but who knows?

Only Fate felt so touched. Faith too was admired by their courage and their passion. Never had they both seen such fruits were bond together, not because they are physically different, but also the willingness to share and respect. But by laws of life, Fate and Faith were limited to choices. You be Fate, you be Faith, you judge and you decide.

Friday, August 22, 2008

When you are sick and tired of work,When you have no choice but to work,When you have no chance of buying food,When you know your stomach is calling you, There's always that hotdog that your colleague gave you.

1901, food for friendship the desperate.

Things at work have been hectic. Guess my weeks of having less work are over. It's back to reality of working. Have been eating lunch at my desk for a few days, staying back at the office for 2 weeks consecutive already. Sometimes with no proper dinner =(

This hotdog was my savior for one of the nights. I was starving. Didn't have a proper lunch, and was working until I forgot the time to buy dinner. Then I remembered the hotdog sitting at the edge of my cubicle, a food token of appreciation for being nice to a colleague =)

Monday, August 18, 2008

When the food blogger eats too much, it's time for her to exercise. ...or maybe not. I joined a bunch of friends for a macro photography outing yesterday in Taman Pertanian, Bukit Cahaya. A really good Sunday walk in the park!

I saw this tree which its berries were growing at the tree trunk. Was interested in it because I have eaten green berries like this back in my aunt’s house.

I tried biting into this one but it was really hard and unripe. I expected it to be sour, but surprisingly it just bland.

As we walk up hill... way up hill, one of my friend saw a swarm of ants carrying this worm from the drain back to its nest. Looks so juicy. Good worm. *slurps*

When we reach the higher lands, I saw this leaf which reminded me of a crinkle cut potato chip. I started to feel hungry...

As we walk, I saw more of the leaves. Crinkle cut potato chips all over!!! I bet dried leaves are as crunchy as the potato chips.

After taking a short detour at the Yellow Water Damp at the park, we stop by a rest place. A function was on going and this BBQ aroma lured my nose to where all the action was. Too bad no ikan bakar for me.

We continue our walk towards a lake area. Saw a lot of lotus flowers and the seeds. Got the shivers because the mature and dried up lotus seeds reminded me of a nightmare I had once. I didn't see any young ones, other wise I would have eaten them ;p

One lonely ostrich was locked up in an empty land beside the lake with some geese. (...dua dua binatang pun boleh di makan)

Later on we passed by drainage areas which I found plenty of daun kaduk! They seem to like drain water... plenty of fertilizer. The roots feed on drain water, and we feed on the leaves.

As plenty of these "dei damn tau" too. I have this plant all over my garden floor, not for decoration, but the "dei damn tau" chlorophyll helps discharge toxins from the body if drank raw. I'm not sure how true this is as this is not medically proven. My mom takes them though. Bitter stuff.

It was almost 2pm when we exited the park. By then even cements animals looks delicious. Deep fried bird, rabbit satay, black pepper deer meat, and stewed tortoise? Yum yum ...

But you all know I'm joking right? I don't eat everything I see ;p

We ended up in Taman Megah's Ming Tien. The green basil and mint soup.

With the lui char vegetables...

To get your lui char. No animals meat in this dish =) The lui char wasn't that nice though. ...should have ordered something with animals... haha.

And here we are after the many years. Kat, Apple and myself. We sat in front of one of the cleanest Chinese coffee shop "Tai Chow" kitchen I have seen in KL. Kat kind of like the idea that she can see what the chefs are doing.

Kang Kung belacan (RM8) 9/10! Just look at the colour, its just cooked right, not to raw and not overcooked. The belacan mixture was superb as well. Not too salty, and spicy enough for the Malaysian and German taste.

Dried fried beef noodles (RM20) 8/10! I personally like this version (dry), compared to the wet version of the beef noodles. Good wok hei with this beef noodles. The beef slice was thick yet still juicy and tender.

Fried spare ribs (RM12) was a little disappointing. I was told this was one of the chef's recommendation as well but I didn't find anything really special about this dish. It's nice, but nothing special. 7.5/10

Sang Har mee (RM16) came last, but if my memory serves me right, this was the first to go. The yee mee noodles deep fried, and covered with the lightly starched seafood sauce with salted egg yoke, topped with the sang har (the prawns). 9/10! The sauce was really good and went really well with the deep fried yee mee. Only down side was that I had a hard time eating the prawns with my chopsticks. My second half of my prawns flew from my plate to the floor! What a waste. No cat to pick the delicious fresh and sweet prawns....

Very good meal. And very good company. Even for Kat. ....because Mr.Koh one of the guy working there lived in Germany for 7 years and was making Kat feel very at home. He even had instant sour croute (did I spell it right?) in the restaurant freezer!

Sunday, August 10, 2008

Step #1: Clean your chicken. Cut out all the fats. Remove the chicken internals and clean the insides properly.

Step #2: If you like having the skin, double check to make sure you don't have chicken feather remains stuck in the skin. Pinch them out if any.

Step #3: Salt the chicken inside out and let to marinade for about 30 minutes.

Step #4: Rinse the chicken. Keep both chicken feet in the cut out opening.

Step #5: And fold the wings under. This is just to ease placing the chicken on a smaller plate for steaming. The legs and wings won't fly all over the place.

Step #6: Sitting duck chicken. HAHA. Make sure the water is boiling before you place your chicken in your wok/steamer. Steam the (medium sized) chicken for 10 minutes and turn off the fire. Let it stay in the wok/steamer for another 20 minutes.

Step #7: When the chicken is done, I usually remove the skin first. But for those who like the skin, you can leave them on.

Step #8: Start separating the chicken meat and bones.

Step #8: Keep the chicken feet, head, neck, and all the other bones.

Step #9: Separate the bones from the meat, and remember not to waste the chicken sauce. Keep them with the meat. Good stuff.

Step 10#: The meat crumbs as well.

Step 11#: Boil your porridge and mix in the chicken bones, feet, head and feet. When your porridge is done, remove all the bones and stuff and serve. Place the meat and drizzle the chicken sauce over the porridge and top it off with a few drops of sesame oil and spring onions.

Wednesday, August 06, 2008

None of my colleagues have eaten in Bukhara because "There always no one eating there. I bet it's not nice". I was so sick of eating everything else in KLCC that I didn't care if the food was said to be good or not. I just needed something different. And from that dinner onwards, Bukhara is the place I recommend folks who tells me there is nothing else to eat in KLCC.

I had the Chicken Biryani (RM25) when I first dined in Bukhara, and have always been coming back for this rice dish. The chicken briyana cooked with spices, served with raita and curry gravy. Really good stuff.

My other favourite is the Lebannese Mixed Grill (RM45) with a combination of lamb kekek, shish kebab, lamb chop and chicken tikka. Very flavourful meats, all cooked with the natural meat juices will locked in the meat.

Bukhara Fried Rice (RM12) fried rice with chicken, prawn and mixed vegetable is something more simple. Not something really special but for someone who is not too adventreous, this fried rice would be suitable.

When I ordered Tabbouleh (RM12), I was thinking of the Fattoosh I tried in Hadhramout. But, Tabbouleh is a salad of chooped parsley, tomato, onion and cracked wheat, dressed with lemon juice and extra virgin olive oil. I didn't like the whole parsley action. Tabbouleh is TakBoleh for my taste.

I knew I had to order this because I loved the juicy minced lamb and the aroma of all the herbs and spice used. This Kebbeh had onions in them as well which I think made the fragrance of the herbs and spices subtel.

And like all other mid-eastern restaurants, the naan bread comes with everything.

And if you are wondering, Bukhara is actually the capital of the Bukhara Province of Uzbekistan.

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